8-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D. C. 20549

____________________________________________________________

FORM 8‑K

CURRENT REPORT

Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): November 15, 2018

____________________________________________________________

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

PENNSYLVANIA	0-09115	25‑0644320
(State or other jurisdiction of	(Commission	(I.R.S. Employer
Incorporation or organization)	File Number)	Identification No.)

TWO NORTHSHORE CENTER, PITTSBURGH, PA	15212‑5851
(Address of principal executive offices)	(Zip Code)
(412) 442-8200
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)

NOT APPLICABLE

(Former name, former address and former fiscal year, if changed since last report)

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:

[ ] Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425)

[ ] Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12)

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b))

[ ] Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c))

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 (§230.405 of this chapter) or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (§240.12b-2 of this chapter).

Emerging growth company ☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Item 7.01    Regulation FD Disclosure

On November 15, 2018, Matthews International Corporation (the "Company") issued a press release announcing the declaration of a quarterly dividend of $0.20 per share on the Company’s common stock. The dividend is payable December 10, 2018 to stockholders of record November 26, 2018. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1.

Item 9.01Financial Statements and Exhibits.

(d)  Exhibits.

Exhibit Number	Description
99.1	Press Release, dated November 15, 2018, issued by Matthews International Corporation.

SIGNATURE

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION
(Registrant)
By:	/s/ Steven F. Nicola
	Steven F. Nicola
	Chief Financial Officer and Secretary

Date: November 15, 2018

EX-99.1

NEWS RELEASE

Matthews International Corporation

Corporate Office

Two NorthShore Center

Pittsburgh, PA 15212-5851

Phone: (412) 442-8200

November 15, 2018                        Contact:     Steven F. Nicola

               Chief Financial Officer

MATTHEWS INTERNATIONAL INCREASES QUARTERLY DIVIDEND

PITTSBURGH, PA, NOVEMBER 15, 2018 - Matthews International Corporation (NASDAQ GSM: MATW) announced that its Board of Directors declared, at its regularly scheduled meeting today, a dividend of $0.20 per share on the Company’s common stock, representing an increase of 5.3% to the Company’s annualized dividend rate.

Joseph C. Bartolacci, President and Chief Executive Officer, stated: “This dividend increase reflects the steady long-term growth of the Company, our confidence in our strategic objectives and our commitment to our shareholders. Our continued strong operating cash flow allows us to maintain the tradition of annual dividend increases, while continuing to appropriately invest in the Company’s growth and repay debt. This represents our 24^th consecutive annual dividend increase since becoming a publicly-traded company.”

The dividend is payable December 10, 2018 to stockholders of record November 26, 2018.

About Matthews International Corporation

Matthews International Corporation is a global provider of brand solutions, memorialization products and industrial technologies. The SGK Brand Solutions segment is a leader in providing brand development, deployment and delivery services that help build our clients’ brands and consumers’ desire for them. The Memorialization segment is a leading provider of memorialization products, including memorials, caskets and cremation equipment, primarily to cemetery and funeral home customers that help families move from grief to remembrance. The Industrial Technologies segment designs, manufactures and distributes marking, coding and industrial automation technologies and solutions. The Company has approximately 11,000 employees in more than 25 countries on six continents that are committed to delivering the highest quality products and services.

Forward-looking Information

Any forward-looking statements contained in this release are included pursuant to the “safe harbor” provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that may cause the Company’s actual results in future periods to be materially different from management’s expectations. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove correct. Factors that could cause the Company’s results to differ materially from the results discussed in such forward-looking statements principally include changes in economic conditions, competitive environment, death rate, foreign currency exchange rates, technological factors beyond the Company’s control, and other factors described in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and other periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.